foster



T. FOSTER.

DITCHER. APPLICATION FILED MAY I3. I918.

Patented. Oct. 28, 1919.

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DITCHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13. 1918.

Patented Oct. 28,1919.

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THOMAS FOSTER, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO FREDERICK C. AUSTIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DITCI-IER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Application filed May 13, 1918. Serial No. 234,070.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS FOSTER, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Chicago, Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefullmprovement in Ditchers, of which the following is a speci- 'fication.

The invention relates to excavating or ditching devices of that kind in which a scraper is disposed obliquely to a longitudinally extending body member so that a V- shaped ditch will be formed by dragging the device back and forth therein, said bodymember sliding endwis e in the groovein the bottom of the ditch, and said scraper traveling over the sloping side of the ditch to defiect or throw the dirt upward and out of the ditch, whereby the excavated dirt is 9.0 cumulated in two long rows or spoil banks, with the V-shaped groove forming the ditch between the two banks of loose or excavated dirt- Generally stated, the object of the invencavating and ditching device of the foregoing general character.

A special object is to provide a novel and improved arrangement for holding an extension bar on the back of the outer end portion of the scraper, so that this bar can be shifted easily from one edge of the scraper to the other, it being understood that the entire device is capable of being i turned upside downandis' adapted to be used in either position, so that said bar will throw the dirt out of the ditch as the device travels along one side, and will then throw the dirt out of the ditch at the other side thereof after the device is turned over and hauled back along the opposite side of the ditcher on a smaller scale.

hollow on its forward surface.

s resting on its longitudinal body-member in position to permit shifting of the extension bar from one position to the other, and wlth the end of said bar shown broken away for convenience of illustration.

{is thus illustrated, the invention comprises a longitudinal body-member 1, preferably formed from channel iron, with tail fins 2 at the rear end thereof to form a sort of keel or rudder by which to keep the member 1 from shifting sidewise under the pressure of the dirt-against the scraper 3, which latter is disposed obliquely to said bodymember and pivotally connected at 4 to the front end thereof. This scraper has its upper and lower edges provided with digging portions 5, which are turned forward slightly, whereby the scraper is somewhat It will be seen that these portions 5 have their forward corners rounded and then tapered rearward until they disappear in the straight upper and lower edges of the scraper. It will also be seen that the scraper 3, thus formed, is somewhat broader or wider than the body-member 1, so that the edge of the scraper, while resting on the ground, will dig into the soil a distance below the lower edgeof the body-member. Said body-memher is provided with a foot-board 6, supported by brackets 7 in any suitable or desired manner, so that this foot-board extends longitudinally of said body-member on the inner side thereof. A brace 8 is fastened to the body-member at 9, in any suitable or desired manner, and is pivoted on change the angle of the scraper blade. It will also be seen that a bracket 13 is se- 1 cured to the front end of the body-member 1, and that a transverse draft-bar 14 is pivoted at 15 on the end of said bracket. A

- sired result.

. side down. A draft connection 18 is adapted to be adjusted from oneopening 19 to another, on the draft-bar 14, so that the line of draft can be adjusted to counteract the tendency of the ditcher to sine around at its rear end, especially so when traveling on level ground in starting a ditch. A bracket 20 is provided on the back of the scraper blade to receive a post or stanchion 21, 1t being understood that the operator or driver will hold onto the upper end of this post or stanchion while standing on the foot-board 6, in the manner commonto ditchers of this general class.

In making a ditch, more especially those which are of considerable depth, an extension bar 22 is desirable, in order to throw or sweep the dirt out of the ditch, inasmuch as the scraper-blade itself is of limited length and does not always extend far enough out of the ditch to obtain the de- This extension bar, however, must be shifted from one edge of the scraperblade to the other, so thatit will be in operative position for either position of the ditcher. This is accomplished by providing the back of the scraper-blade with a double clip 28, having oppositely extending spring arms 241, so that the extension bar can be re leasably held or clamped in position by either arm. For this purpose, the extension bar preferably has a loose connection 25 with the pivot 10, so that it can be pulled out of position behind either arm 24 and then swung outward and around until it is in position to be crowded in behind the other arm. In Fig. 3 the bar 22 is shown in operative position, with its rear end tilted downward to sweep or throw the dirt upward and out of the ditch, it being understood that the loose dirt cut away by the lower edge of the scraper will gradually travel along the latter until it reaches the rear end of the blade, and from this point the dirt is then swept out of the ditch and upward therefrom by the extension bar. In Fig. 2, however, the ditcher is shown turned upside down, and is ready to be turned over to bring the bar 22 against the ground, as shown in Fig. 3. But when the ditcher is hauled back in the opposite direction at the other side of the ditch, the entire structure is then turned into a convenient position, for example as shown in Fig. 1, and the bar 22 is then pulled out from behind the arm 24 and shifted over into position behind the other arm 24, and the ditcher is then ready to be dragged along the opposite side of the ditch. As previously explained, this adjustment of the ditcher from one side of the ditch to the other also involves the readjustment of the draft chain 16 from one edge of the scraper-blade to the other.

At times, the extension bar 22 is not necessary, and at such times it can be unhooked from the pivot 10, as the loose connection 25 is merely a hook-shaped portion to engage said pivot., Also, if desired, the shoe 26 at the outer end of the extension bar, which engages any obstructions that. may be encountered, can be provided with an eye-portion 27 to engage the bolt 28 at the end of the rear bracket 7, so that the bar can thus be held in a storage position, so to speak, within the structure of the ditcher, when not in use. At such a time it will also serve as a brace for the scraper-blade. Or, if desired, and if the scraper-blade is working at a different angle, so that the eye 27 when swung around will not engage the bolt 28, the rear end of the bar 22 can be swung over and allowed to rest on the foot-board 6,:or can be fastened thereto in any suitable or desired manner. In any event, tllOHghyWllBIl the extension bar is necessary, it can be dis engaged from the foot-board and swung around and placed behind either one of the spring arms 21, and thus held inoperative position. l Y v WVhat I claim asmy invention 1S1} 7 1. A ditcher provided with a longitudinal body-member, an oblique scraper-blade connected to the forward portion of said member, means to hold the blade at the desired angle, an extension bar for the rear end of said scraper-blade, a loose connection between the front end of said bar and the rear side of the scraper-bladeythe scraper-blade having two cutting edges, so that the ditcher is reversible, and means on the back of said blade to hold said extension bar in operative relation to either cutting edge of the blade.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, said means comprising a pair of spring arms,

substantially as shown and described.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, said loose connection permitting said bar to be swung readily fromone position thereof to the other, and said means being adapted to hold the bar with its rear end always tilted downward against. the ground when in operation. I.

4:. A structure as specified in clairnl, said loose connection permitting said bar to be swung around readily, and means on said body'inember to support the rear end of the bar, whereby said barhas a storage position within the structure when notin use.

5. In a ditcher, a longitudinal body inem ber, an oblique scraper-blade having two cutting edges, so that the ditcher is reversible, means to connect the scraper-blade with the body member, thereby to maintain said blade at the desired angle, a transverse draft bar,

means to connect said draft bar with saidbody member, a draft chain extending over the edge of the blade to the other end of said draft bar, and means on the ditcher to detaohably engage said chain whereby said chain can be shifted from one edge of the blade to the other.

6. In a ditoher, an oblique scraperblade, a longitudinal body member, an extension bar swingingly connected to the back of said blade, means on the blade to hold said bar in operative position, and means to detachably connect the rear end of said bar to the body member, whereby said bar when not in use forms a brace for said blade.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 1th day of May, 1918.

THOMAS FOSTER.

Copies of this natent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

